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Hole Hazards

Jun 1, 2026

Knowing the tripping, fall, and atmospheric hazards, along with the capacities of covers and limitations of restraint systems, is essential when working over, near, or in holes. Often, protecting “unknowing” personnel is not our focus point. It needs to be. We need to utilize highly visible signs, toe boards, guardrails, covers, and entry restrictions (CAZ barricades) to properly mark, cover, barricade, or guard any hole. Don’t assume that everyone will see the hole, step around it, or not wrongfully or unknowingly enter it.

Issues

  1. Fall hazards: Workers can fall into unprotected holes, trenches, or open shafts, leading to injuries such as broken bones, head trauma, or paralysis.
  2. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) considers falls to be a major hazard in construction. OSHA defines a hole as a gap or void that is at least 2 inches in its smallest dimension and is in a walking or working surface.
  3. Falls into smaller holes or wrongful entry into larger holes can result in a range of injuries, including broken bones, brain injuries, nerve damage, disfigurement, paralysis, and even death.
  4. Tripping and slipping: Inadequate marking or covering can make holes a tripping hazard, leading to sprains and other injuries.
  5. Struck-by hazards: Equipment, tools, or materials can accidentally fall into a hole, potentially injuring workers below.

Sources of Hazards

  1. Skylights
  2. Drains, roof ducts, and utility openings
  3. Unfinished stairs and elevator shafts
  4. Manholes
  5. Drilled pier holes and precast concrete openings
  6. Pits and trenches

Purpose

To avoid any accidents related to hole hazards.

  1. Guard or cover all holes: Any hole with a dimension of 2 inches or more must be protected.
  2. Secure covers: Covers must be strong enough to withstand at least twice the weight of any potential load and should be secured to prevent shifting.
  3. Install guardrails: Guardrails are necessary for protecting against falls into holes, especially for openings over 4 feet deep.
  4. Use warning systems: Mark holes with visible signs and provide adequate lighting.
  5. Provide fall protection: For openings such as skylights, use fall arrest systems, guardrails, or covers.
  6. Shore excavations: Proper shoring, sloping, or other protective measures must be used for trenches to prevent collapses.
  7. Communicate hazards: Ensure all workers are aware of potential hazards and report any unsecured holes immediately.

What You Need to Know About Holes

  1. If the hole must be open, install permanent barriers around the perimeter.
  2. Communicate any hazards with other workers in the area immediately.
  3. Notify your supervisor or management team of any new openings.
  4. Floor holes through which materials or tools may fall and create a struck-by hazard shall be completely covered.
  5. A cover that leaves no openings more than 2 inches wide must be provided for every floor hole into which persons can accidentally come into contact.
  6. The five steps of fall prevention:
    a. Identify the risks.
    b. Avoid the risk.
    c. Control the risk.
    d. Respond to incidents.
    e. Maintain risk prevention.
  7. Requirements for hole covers:
    a. Capable of supporting at least twice the maximum load expected to cross over the cover.
    b. Shall be secured when installed to prevent displacement.
    c. Shall be marked with the word “HOLE” or “COVER.”
  8. If you are excavating and encounter a hole, the first rule is to stop digging.
  9. For trenches 5 feet deep or greater, a protective system (sloping, shoring, or shielding with a trench box) is required to prevent cave-ins.
  10. Never enter a hole unless you are trained and qualified to do so.
  11. Manholes, utility vaults, or deep pits may be considered confined spaces, posing additional risks from hazardous atmospheres (e.g., lack of oxygen or toxic gases).
  12. Inspections and training: Regular workplace inspections must be conducted by a competent person to identify potential hazards, and all workers must be trained on recognizing these risks and the proper safety protocols.
  13. In situations where covers or guardrails are not feasible, workers may use a PFAS, which includes an anchorage, connectors, and a body harness, to safely stop a fall.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Fall Protection in Construction (29 CFR 1926 Subpart M). United States Department of Labor, https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/subpartM. Accessed 11 June 2026.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Signs, Signals, and Barricades (29 CFR 1926 Subpart G). United States Department of Labor, https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/subpartG. Accessed 11 June 2026.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Excavations (29 CFR 1926 Subpart P). United States Department of Labor, https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/subpartP. Accessed 11 June 2026.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Demolition (29 CFR 1926 Subpart T). United States Department of Labor, https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/subpartT. Accessed 11 June 2026.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Confined Spaces in Construction (29 CFR 1926 Subpart AA). United States Department of Labor, https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/subpartAA. Accessed 11 June 2026.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. “Floor Openings, Holes, and Skylights.” United States Department of Labor, https://www.osha.gov/etools/construction/falls/floor-openings. Accessed 11 June 2026.

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